Shock-absorber.



F. F. LANDIS.

SHOCK ABSORBER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7. 1912.

4 SHEETSSHEET I.

F.-F. LANDIS. SHOCK ABSORBER. A v AP P LlcATlON FILED JUNE 7, 1912. r

' Patented June 20,1916..

4 SHEETSw-SHEET 2.

wqvbneoog 1 Wjwc (0M F. F; LA NDIS.

SHOCK ABSORBER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7. I912 mmw, I

Pdtented June 20, 1916;;

lit

FRANK F. LANDIS,-OF WAYNESBORO, PENNSYLVANIA.

SHOCK-ABSORBER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 2t 199M? Application filed .fune 7, 1912. Serial No. 702,228.

To all whom it may concern:

Be 1t known that I, FRANK F. LANDIS, a

citizen of the United States, residing at' lVaynesboro, in the county of Franklin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shock- Absorbers, of which the following is a specification.

A common fault in many types of shockcreases the tension and severity of all vibrations of the machine, during the general performance or action of the car; or, in other words, making the spring equivalent to one which is entirely toostrong or rigid for the weight of thecar it carries. It is true, as will be readily seen, that such retarding action ,does diminish the speed and increase the time of spring expansion and prevent the violent rebound, of the car. Such axlevice prevents the occupants of the car from being pitched from their seats, but this is always accomplished at the sacrifice of the general comforts that a soft and un-.

retarded spring will produce. Any device that will eliminate the violent plunges caused by the recoil or expansion of a spring and yet retain in full the comforts of a soft and unretarded spring during its compression, must permit the free action of the spring under the first impulseggiven by the shock upon the wheel, and embody means to regulate its expansion or recoil so that it will resume its normal form in a gradual and easy manner. Any agency which adds a retarding force to the yielding quality or resiliency of the springs While contracting, only intensifies the shock upon the vehicle, as the shock will then equal the strength of the spring plus the retarding action, greatly increasing the strains and destructive actions upon the machine and especially upon the pneumatic tires and greatly detracting from the comfort of the occupants.

The object of my invention is therefore to provide means whereby the force of a shock upon the wheel of a vehicle after being absorbed by the compression of the spring is so utilized that no part of said force is consumed to reduce the resiliency or yielding qualities of the springs, such invention including adjustable means to reduce or increase a retarding element during the spring expansion to give the best results for either a light or heavy spring, which is, or always should be, in harmony with the weight of the car, whereby the springs are in no Way encumbered during the time they are being compressed, thereby retain-ing under all conditions of road, load, or speed of machine, the full benefits of the object of springs un der vehicles, but regulating their recoil to save undue shock and destructive strain upon the vehicle and much discomfort for its occupants.

The working and endurance of my inven' tion preferably depends upon the use of a. liquid, oil for example, and in order to construct such a device within the minimum dimensions or size desirable, as Well as to reduce its Weight, said liquid will necessarily be reduced to a small quantity. The liquid Will therefore be subjected to constant agitation under high pressures and speeds While retardmg the rebound or expansion of the spring. This severe action .upon the liquid,

such as oil, develops heat very rapidly and to such a degree that it will rapidly deteriorate the oil, in fact the very violent action produces suliieient heat to produce an.

elastic fluid or gas, a condition which would largely defeat the practicability of the device. My invention therefore provides means whereby the heat produced by friction upon theliquid is radiated as it is generated, thereby retaining the normal condition of the liquid employed.

My invention also provides an adjustable bypass by which to vary the resistance to the'liquid while the springs of the vehicle are expanding. Said by-pass is of such construction that it becomes a small fractional part of a large and free passage, thus making it impossible for said by-pa ss to become obstructed by any foreign matter .that may be mingled with the oil.

My invention also provides means to protect all the vital parts, and also the'oil or liquid employed, from all dust and grit.

It is also so constructed that it absolutely eliminates the necessity of all packed liquid retaining joints, dispensing with all friction produced by such j oints.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof and on which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a view showing a shockabsorber of my improved construction ap plied. to the rear spring of a vehicle such as an automobile, 'Fig. 2 a central section through the same on an enlarged scale, with the parts in expanded position, the contracted position being indicated by dotted lines, Fig. 3 a top or plan view, Fig. 4:- a side elevation showing a modified form of use and attachment, Fig. 5 a detail sectional.

a view partly in-se'ction and partly in ele'va-. tion showing said modified-form on an en-.

larged scale, Fig. 12 a cross section on the dotted line l212 in Fig. 3, Fig. 13 a cross section on the. dotted line 1313 in Fig. 2, and Fig. 14 a detail crosssection on 25. the dotted line 1414 in Fig. 4.

' In said drawings, the portions marked A represent'the outer casing or cylinder of the fiuid containing and controlling device, B a' lever connected to oneside of the spring,

or to the spring supported part, C a movable cylinder mounted within the cylindrical casing A, and D apiston in said cylinder C.

.The cylindrical casing A is closed at its upper end by a casing cap, or cover, a'secured thereto by means of bolts 1 extending through laterally arranged ears and into appropriate lugs on the side, of said casing A, as best shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4. Its lower end is closed by a plate a threaded into the 40 aperture and formed with an annular flange adapted to fit tightly against said lower end.

In both forms,'however, the joint is intended to be perfectly tight so that there can be no lea'kage of fluid from said casing, The top of said casing is preferably inclined to one side as shown and bearing is formed partly in the top edge of easing A and partlv in the adjacent edge of the cover a, in which a rock-shaft 2-is mounted. Said roclcshaft extends through the sides of said casing and itsprojecting ends are reduced in size, (see 'Fig. 13), for a purpose to be presently described. Y I i The lever B is mounted at its upper end on a projecting pivot 16 of a clip l5 which I is mounted upon the upper side of the spring,

' as best shown in Figs. 3, 13 and 16. The

lower end of said lever is forked and each' ----b ra'nc h is gnounted on the outer projecting I end of rock-shaft 2- being secured by a bolt Q 3 which extends through a central perfora- ;;-,tion.in said rock-shaft and has securing washers 4 on its outer ends. Said rock-shaft 2 hasanarm 5.extending therefrom toward the opposite sideof the casing fora purpose to be presently described. Said casing is supported upon the lower side of the vehicle spring, axle, or other appropriate part by a .bracket composed of the-arm 6, extending from the upper end of casing A, and a brace 7 extending between said casing A and said arm .6. The lower end of said arm 6 is mounted on a projecting pivot 16 of a clip 15 corresponding to the clip on the upper side of the spring.

The cylinder C is mounted within cylindrical casing A and adapted to have a limited vertical movement therein. Its upper end is supported between lugs 6 cast on the interior of said casing at appropriate points.

Its lower end is formed "inturned or closed except for a central aperture through which upwardly extending fingers 30 on disk 18 extend andserve as guides for said lower end. Said cylinder seats at its lower end on a seat 27 on. the upper face of plate a and constitutes a valve forcontrolling the flow of the liquid, as will be presently more fully described.

The piston D fits snugly within cylinder C and is preferably formed with an elongated cylindrical part extending a considerable distance Withimsaid cylinder C. It is con nected by a piston rod'8 to the outer end of arm 5 on rock-shaft 2, the connection being a pivotal connection at each end of said rod. In Figs. 4 and 14 I have illustrated a slightly modified form of attachingmeans and shown the casing A as attached directly to the Vehicle axle and the arm B as connected with the underframe F of the Vehicle body. In this arrangement'in lieu of the brace 7 a curved strap 4:0 is pivoted to the ear provided on the side of easing A, which strap is adapted to' embrace the lower side of the casing 41of thevehicle axle 42. The outer end of said strap is connected by a hook-bolt 43 to the ear formed on the upper end of easing A for the attachment of arm 6 in the principal construction. The lower end ofsaid bolt extends through a perforation in the outer end of said strap and by means of a nut 44 thereon the casing A may be securely mounted directly on the axle. A

being secured by a cotter-pin 48. The lower end of said connecting rod 47 is correspondlngly formed and ismounted 111 a perforation in the outer end of arm .13 being secured by a cotter-pin 48. V

In both forms the lower disk or plate a of casing A is provided with a valve structure for controlling the flow of fluid through 'a by-pas's in said plate, comprising a central recess on the bottom of which is formed a "met/etc raised annular seat or ridge'17 surrounding a central aperture. In said recess is mount-- ed a disk- 18, the thickness of which is exactly the depth of said recess from seat 17 to seat 27, and is formed-with a screw-threaded shank 26 and has a lever-nut 19 thereon. Below its screw-threaded portion and said nut said shank is formed with a squared portion on which is mounted a lever 20. secured by a cotter-pin 21. The upwardly projecting lugs 30, which project through the aperture in the lower end of cylinder C are formed on said disk. the upper face of plate a is formed the plane seat 27 on which the lower end of cylinder C is adapted to rest when in its lowermost position. Channels 23 lead tangentially from diametrically opposite points in the recess containing the adjustable disk 18 atan upward incline outwardly through the portion of the place a beyond seat 27 and into the space between cylinders A and C. Said channels are formed of a depth substantially two-thirds'the depth of the recess containing the adjustable disk 18'. The top face of said disk is milled out on diametrinels 23 will be covered or uncovered, as the.

case maybe, and by this means an accurate adjustment of the bypass thus provided is secured for timing the flow of the fluid from one side to the other of piston D when cylinder C is seated and the springs are expand-.

ing. Two stops 24" and 25 are located on the underside of the cylinder'to limit the moyement of lever 20 at the two extreme points,

stop 24 where the valve will be in position to leave channel 23 fully opened, and stop 25 where said channel will be sufficiently reduced for the strongest spring and heaviest car. By turning said lever from one position toward the other any-intermediate adjustment desired may be secured. The adjustment is secured by loosening lever-nut 19, turning adjustable disk 18 through the medium of lever 20 to secure the desired size of opening into channels 23, and then locking said adjustable disk in this position by turning up lever-nut 19 tightly, which not only secures said valve from further rotary movement but seats it tightly on seat 17 making a liquid tight joint and avoiding the use of packing which is not needed in any part of the structure.

In the modifications illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11, the casing A is closed at its upper end by a cap or plate a secured thereto by tilt a screw-threaded connection. Its lower end is closed by a plate (1 adapted to be soldered, or otherwise secured therein to form a tight joint.

Surrounding theedge of disk 18 on any appropriate manner.

and 13, preferably of the form shown, are connected by the pivot Z) and extend at an angle each way from said pivot so that they do not cross, enabling the-upper lever B to be attached to the piston I) and the lower lever B to the casing A, so that when the springs are compressed said piston will moveup and said casing down and in the opposite directions when the spring expands. Said pivot b is located to divide said levers into short and' long ends, the long ends being attached to the springs and the short ends at tached to the piston and easing respectively. By this arrangement said piston and easing move only a comparatively short distance compared with themovement of the springs toward and from each other at the point of the attachment of levers B and B" thereto. Said levers B and B are respectively con nected to the respective sides of the vehicle by a clip 15 with a pivot 16 formed on the outside bar on which the ends of said levers In this construction two levers B are mounted and secured by nuts 22, or in Said pivots 16, both in the. principal and modified constructions, preferably extend at an angle in relationto the side of the springs as best shown in Figs. 3 and 12. By this means said le-' vers and the parts comprising the shockabsorber are carried free from the spring while enabling the attachment to be made in close relation thereto, thus imposing but slight torsional strain thereon.

In operation, the parts being adjusted as desired and placed in position on the vehicle as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, upon striking an obstruction the vehicle axle will be forced upward violently and the springs compressed. This will cause the parts to change position from that shown by whole lines to that shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The

fluid, such as oil, contained in the cylinder during this movement passes freely from the upper side of piston D through the open passageway between cylinders C and A to the lower side thereof, offering no resistance to the free compression of the springs under the shock. It will be readily seen that during the compression of the springs the lever B, rock-shaft 2, and arm 5,-0perate to raise piston D which lifts cylinder C from its seat 27 on the top of plate a to the limit of the upward movement allowed said cylinder by the overhanging points or the lugs c which is suflicient to provide a free space between the lower end of said cylinder and said seat 27. As the piston continues its upward movement while the spring is being compressed the fluid within the casing A flows freely around the outside of said cvlinder C in athin sheet fro m'the chamber above said piston to the chamber in said cylinder below said piston.

A leading advantage of this construction resides in the large area provided for the flow of the fluid back and forth in a comparatively thin sheet, which keeps said fluid fromoverheating and maintains it in a normally advantageous condition. As will be readily seen the continually rapid churning of the fluid under high pressure during the expansion of the spring, will cause said fluid to heat unless a cooling provision is made. Another important advantage is the construction of the bypass formed by the channels 23, which become a fractional portion of the large and free passage, making it practically impossible toobstruct said channels or vary their size by any foreign substance that may be mingled with the oil, while a small by-pass of fixed dimensions would soon be destroyed, or become clogged, by said foreign substance and make the entire-device inoperative. The completely inclosing casing shown in the principal views,

is also of importance as it excludes all grit. and dust from the liquids and internal parts but it will be understood that the modifications illustrated in the other views may be used if desired without" departing from my said invention.

In the construction shown in Figs. 10, and,

11, the double lever 13 ,13 operates on the pivot 7) so that while the spring is compressing plston D moves upward in cylinder C, and casing- A moves downward, whereas when the springs expand or recoil to their normal position, or form, cylinder C will at once seat, the piston D will continue its downward movement, while the casing A will move upward. Thus'in this, aswell as in the other forms, the. operation will close .anypassage from cylinder C under piston D except such passage as is provided by the channels 23, which constitute a by-pass through the seat. These channels are regu lated to the size desired by the adjustment of disk 18, as before described, so that the expansion. of the spring is held back and controlled toexpand gradually, the time of expansion being determined by the time required by the fluid to flow through the channels 23. It will be noted that the piston D is entirely immersed in oil, or other fluid used. and that any air is thus prevented from mixing therewith and causing it to foam.

\Vhile ,I'have illustrated a number of modifications in the details of construction, it will be understood that they are merely to indicate obvious changes which maybe made without departing from my said invention and that the claims are intended to include these, as well as other obvious modifications within their scope.

Having thus fully described my said invention what I claim as new and'desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A shock-absorber comprising a fluid to move in line with the movement of said cylinder, means connected to. a part carried on the vehicle body for reciprocating said piston, and means for regulating the size of the passage from within said cylinder on one side of said piston to the other side when said parts are moving from the position they occupy when the spring is compressed to the position they occupy when the spring is expanded, substantially .as'set forth.

2. A shock-absorber comprising a fluid containing casing, a cylinder mounted to have a limited movement therein and adapted to seat when in one position to cut off the normal flow from. one side to the other, said seat for said cylinder formed with a by-pass, a regulating valve, means for adjusting said valve to regulate said by-pass, a piston in "said cylinder, and means connected to said piston andto the vehicle body for reciprocating said piston as said body moves up and down, substantially as set forth.

3. A sh0ck-absorber comprising a fluid containing casing, a cylinder mounted to have a limited movement in said 0. sing, means for centrally supporting said cylinder with an annular space between it and said casing, a valve structure adjacent to ,one end of said cylinder, means for adjusting said valve to regulate the size of opening, a piston in said cylinder, and a leverconnected respectively with: said piston and a part carried on the vehicle body for reciprocating said piston, substantially as set forth.

4. A- shock-absorber comprising a fluid containing casing, a cylinder mounted to have a limited movement therein, a valve structure in one end of said casing, a seat for one end of said cylinder surrounding said valve structure, channels controlled by said valve structure leading from within said cylinder to the space between said cylinder and said casing, means for adjusting said valve to control the size of said channels, a piston within saidcylinder, and connections between said piston and said casing respectively and parts on opposite sides of the vehicle spring, whereby as said springs are compressed said cylinder is raised from its seat around said valve and seated as said springs eXpand, substantially as set forth.

5. A shock-absorber comprising a fluid containing casing, a cylinder mounted to have a limited movement in said casing, means for supporting and guiding said cylinder centrally within said casing with an annular'space between them, a piston within said cylinder, a lever connected at one end with said piston and at the other end to a part 'on the opposite side of the vehicle spring, a valve structure within said casing formed to regulate the size of channels leading from within said cylinder to the space between said cylinder and said casing, and means for adjusting said valve structure, substantially as set forth.

6. A shock-absorber comprising a fluid containing casing closed at each end, a cylinder mounted within said casing to have a limited movement, a piston mounted within said cylinder, a seat for the opposite end of said cylinder in the opposite end of said casing, a rotary valve mounted in a recess in the opposite end of said casing, said valve supported on a seat and formed with a stem extendinglthrough a perforation in the end of said casing, a nut on the outer end of said stem for seating and securing aid valve, means for turning said alve, and means for operating said piston connected with said piton and with the vehicle at opposite sides of its springs, substantially as set forth.

7. A shockab.so-rber comprising a fluid containing casing, a cylinder mounted to have a limited movement therein and adapted to seat when in one position, a piston in said cylinder, said seat having passages in its'face, which communicate from, one'side to the other of said piston, and means for adjusting the size of said passages, substantially as set forth.

8. A shock-absorber comprising a fluid containing casing, a cylinder mounted to reciprocate therein, a piston in said cylinder, a passage leading from one side of said piston to the other, means for opening said passage for the free flow of the fluid when the springs are being compressed, means for closing said passage to a predetermined size when the springs are expanding-and a lever pivoted to said casing with one end connected to the piston by a link within said casing, substantially as set forth.

' 9. A shock-absorber comprising a fluid containing casing, a cylinder mounted to have a limited movement insaid casing, the lower end thereof forming a hollow valve, an annular valve seat supporting said cylinder at the lower end of its said limited movement, one or more openings or chan nels across the face of said annular va rve seat, an adjustable disk within said annular valve seat, and means for adjusting said disk to regulate the size of said opening or channels, substantially as set forth.

10. A- shoclcabsorbercomprising a fluid containing casing, a cylinder mounted to have a limited movement in said casing,

' means for supporting and guiding said cylinder centrally within the said casing, a piston within said cylinder mounted to reciprocate in line with the limited movement of the cylinder, a lever having its fulcrum in one end of said casing and connected at one end to said piston and at the other to a part connected to move with the body of a vehicle,

means within said casing formed to regulate the size of channels leading from within said cylinder to the space between said cylinder and said casing, and -means for adjusting same, substantially as set forth.

11. A shock-absorber comprising a fluid containing casing closed at each end, a cylinder mounted within said casing to have a limited movement, a piston mounted with said cylinder and connected by a link or rod within the upper end of said casing to the inner and short end of said lever, a seat for the opposite end of said cylinderin the opposite end of said casing, the lower end of said cylinder forming a valve to act upon said seat for the-free admission of the liquid to said cylinder while the springs of the vehicle are being contracted or compressed, a rotary disk mounted in recess within the said seat, said disk supported on a seat within the recess and formed with a stem extending through a perforation within the end of said casing, a nut on said stem for securing said disk tightly upon said seat, and a lever secured to the outer end of said stem for adjusting said disk, substantially as set forth.

12. A shock-absorber comprising a fluid containing casing, a cylinder containing a piston; said cylinder centrally' mounted within said casing and having a limited movement produced by the movement of said piston thereby forming a large valve opening upon a fixed seat affording a free admission of the liquid into said cylinder while the springs of theyehicle are contracting, the outer diameter of said cylinder being enough smallerthan the inner diameter of the said casing to form a narrow annu'lar passage whereby a free course for the liquid, and one of large surface for its area is formed providing a radiator for dispensing with the heat of said liquid caused by friction, substantially as set forth.

13. A shock-absorber comprising a fluid containing casing, a cylinder therein, the outer diameter of which is smaller than the inner diameter of said casing, to form a narrow annular passage, whereby a free course for theliquid and one of large s'urfacearea is formed, and means for controlling the flow of the liquid. 1 j

14L. In a device of the character described, a fluid containing casing, a movable cylinder therein with an opening in its bottom, a piston in said cylinder, a seat in said casing for said cylinder, means whereby said cylinder and said seat are made to automatically approach and recede to and from each other, thereby varying the size of a passage between opposite sides of said piston, whereby a uniform retarding force is provided 15. A shock difiuser comprising a fluid containing casing, a cylinder mounted therein to reciprocate for a limited distanceand adapted to seat' at one end of said casmg,

said cylinder being smaller than said casing,

- v whereby an annular space is formed between casing through the-seat for them, a piston mounted in said cylinder operatively connected to a part carried bythe vehicle body,'a by-pass being formed in saidand a valve for controlling said by-Pass, substantially as set forth. I

' 16. Ashock-absorber comprising a fluid containing casing, a cylinder mounted to have a limited movement therein, an adjustable disk in one end of said casing, a seat for one end of said cylinder surrounding said adjustable disk and having channels the size of Which are controlled by said disk, leading from Within said cylinder to the space besaid cylinder,

tween said cylinder and said casing, means for adjusting said disk to control the size of raisedfrom its seat around said adjustable disk and again. seated as said pand, substantially as set forth;

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal at l/VaynesbormPennsyl- Vania, this 16th day of May, hundred and twelve.

FRANK-F. LANDIS. [1,. 5.]

springs exhWitnesses:

M. A. LANDIs, J. K. MAnrIN;

A, D, nineteen 

